Italy
Business Etiquette, Culture, & Manners

Italy
Introduction

Officially
called the Republic of Italy, Italy is located
in southern Europe, and has a population of roughly
58.2 million. Italy has much to offer its citizens
and visitors. Surrounded by the four seas of the
Mediterranean, Italy is famous for its coastline
activities. Italy also has a mountain range with
elevations over 13,500 feet for the skiing and
hiking enthusiast. Italy has no official religion,
though the majority of Italy's citizens are Roman
Catholic.

Italy
Fun Fact

Italy
is currently the home of three active volcanoes;
Stromboli, Vesuvius, and Etna.

The
Vatican City, the home of the Pope and the Roman
Catholic Church, is located within the city of Rome
and is considered a separate state completely. The
Vatican has its own currency, flag, and stamps, although
the Euro can be used.

Geert
Hofstede Analysis for Italy

The Hofstede Analysis for Italy is
very similar to Germanys
Analysis. Great emphasis is placed on individualism, masculinity,
and uncertainty avoidance, while power distance is ranked considerately
lower than the others. Italys lower power distance score
shows that Italy is working to de-emphasize the differences between
its citizens power and wealth. More Geert Hofstede Details

Religion
in Italy

*
WORLD FACTBOOK 2011

In
a country that has over 50% of its population practicing
the Catholic religion, we found the primary correlating
Hofstede Dimension to be Uncertainty Avoidance
(UAI). There were only 2 countries out of 23 that
did not follow this correlation, they were Ireland
and the Philippines. (See accompanying Article)

Italy
Appearance

Fashions
and fashion design are trademarks of Italy. Therefore,
in the business world, good clothes are a signature
of success.

Men
should wear fashionable, high quality suits.

Shirts
may be colored or pin-striped, and they should
be paired with an Italian designer tie.

Women
dress in quiet, expensive elegance.

Slacks
are generally not worn by either sex.

Quality
accessories such as shoes and leather goods will
make a good impression with the Italians.

Italy Behavior

Italian
history has played a crucial role in the modern
business world.

Some
of their contributions include banking, insurance,
and double-entry bookkeeping.

"Time
is money" is not a common phrase in Italy.

Foreign
businessmen/women should be punctual for business
appointments, although the Italian executive may
not be.

Handshakes
are common for both sexes, and may include grasping
the arm with the other hand.

Do
not expect quick decisions or actions to take place,
as the Italian bureaucracy and legal systems are
rather slow.

Italian
companies often have a rigid hierarchy, with little
visible association between the ranks.

It
is common for everyone to speak simultaneously
at Italian gatherings. This applies to business
meetings as well as social events.

Do
not exchange business cards at social occasions;
but it is the norm at business functions and meetings.

Italians
often have two different business cards, one with
business credentials for formal relationships,
and another with personal information for less
formal relationships.

Italian
cards are often plain white with black print.

When
entering a business function, the most senior or
eldest person present should always be given special
treatment.

When
invited to someone's home, bring gift-wrapped chocolates,
pastries, or flowers. Flowers must be given
in even numbers, except for a dozen (12) or half-dozen
(6), especially if roses.

If
you bring wine as a gift, make sure that it is
of excellent vintage, as many Italians are wine
connoisseurs.

Avoid
giving anything in a quantity of 17, as 17 is considered
to be bad luck, or a doomed number.

Italy Communications

Italian
is the official language, although there are many
diverse dialects.

English
is spoken by many businesspeople.

Avoid
talking about religion, politics, and World War
II.

At
social gatherings, it is considered insulting to
ask someone you have just met about their profession.